“The Negro Speaks of Rivers”by Langston Hughes
aligned to AZ Standards by Tina Luffman
Reading/Fiction, Writing
Class objective|
Students will become familiar with reading a poem and gaining understanding on interpreting author’s
viewpoint, figurative language, historical perspective, cultural perspective. Students will also increase
vocabulary skill.
Arizona Adult Education Standards
ABEII, III, & ASEI Reading: Indicator B Acquires and uses new vocabulary in relevant contexts
ABEII, III, & ASEI Reading: Indicator D Applies reading skills to interpret literary selections
Technology Indicator E: Learners develop and implement a research strategy to find accurate, relevant,
and appropriate information sources
ABEIII & ASEI Writing: Indicator B Conventions of grammar and usage rules
ABEIII & ASEI Writing: Indicator C Spelling punctuation and capitalization
Materials Needed
Computer lab with Internet access
The Negro Speaks of Rivers Web site
Handout -- Defining Author’s Purpose
Pencils and paper
Activity
ABE students: Have students review the Web site together as a whole class activity. Then have students
work together in pairs to answer questions on the handout. Ask pairs to share what they learn with the rest
of the class. Have the students read the poem together and then have a whole class discussion concerning
points the students would not have understood about the author’s purpose in writing the poem without
having done the research
ASE students: Have students review the Web site individually to answer questions on the handout. Next
have students get into small groups to share their research findings. Ask student groups to present their
findings to the rest of the class. Have students write a one-page response to one aspect of the author’s
purpose that they would not have realized without having done the research.
Defining Author’s Purpose
I.
II.
Title______________________________________
Author____________________________________
a.
When was the author born?_______________
b.
From what cultural background is this author?
c.
What significant historical events were going on during the time this work was written?
III. Now compare this author’s work with other titles s/he has written.
a.
Dream Variations search on Poems site)
b.
Po ’ Boy Blues
IV. Compare this author’s work with other titles written during the same time period .(see poets site)
a. Ernest Hemingway
V.
b.
Walt Whitman
c.
William Faulkner
d.
Flannery O’Connor
Locate and study information pertaining to key words and/or proper nouns in the work.
VI. Now write what you think the author’s purpose is for writing this work.